instead of referring their calculations of longitude to the meridian of their principal observatory, should have some common meridian; which would introduce into the geography of the world the same uniformity that exists in its almanacks and in its arithmetic. M. de la Place recommended the Peak of Teneriffe, or Mont Blanc, as a suitable meridian.

POLAND.

Professor Munnich, of Cracow, has collected some curious literary details respecting Cicero's treatise de Republicâ. In the tenth century, this treatise was in existence, and, in the twelfth century, John of Salisbury made several extracts from it; but, from this period to the revival of letters, little is known of it. Petrarca, and Poggius, by whom Quintilian was recovered, made various endeavours, but without effect, to regain this treasure. In 1557 a manuscript of it was seen in a convent in Poland, but suddenly disappeared. Petrus Blesensis and Petrus Pictaviensis had read, one the fourth, the other the fifth book. This or some other manuscript of the work is traced, by allusions in different authors, to various places; but it has never been recovered.

ITALY.

A fresco painting has been discovered at Pompeii, representing an eruption of Vesuvius, and several processions at the foot of the mountain. If this picture be correctly drawn, the site of Naples was formerly much more elevated than at present, and the Somma did not exist, or rather formed a part of Vesuvius.

UNITED STATES.

The Governor of New York, in his last message to the Legislature of that State, strongly urges upon them the formation at the public expense of a seminary for the education of teachers in the monitorial system of instruction, and in those useful branches of knowledge which are proper to engraft on elementary attainments. He also recommends a gratuitous provision for the college education of indigent, talented, and meritorious youth. "I consider," he adds, "the system of our common schools as the palladium of our freedom; for no reasonable apprehension can be entertained of its subversion, as long as the great body of the people are enlightened by education. To increase the funds, to extend the benefits, and to remedy the defects of this excellent system, is worthy of your most deliberate attention."

In 1818 was commenced the contemplated water communications between the CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 292.

great western and northern lakes and the Atlantic Ocean. In October 1825, the western canal was in a navigable state, and vessels passed from Lake Erie to the Atlantic Ocean. In about eight years, artificial communications, nearly 428 miles in length, have been opened; to the Hudson river, from Lake Champlain by the northern canal; to Lake Ontario, by the Oswegoriver and the western canal; and to Lake Erie, and the other western lakes, by the latter canal-thus affording an extent of inland navigation unparalleled in the history of mankind.

and

A Philadelphia paper, in describing a meeting recently held in that city, for the purpose of hearing a lecture from Mr. Owen, on his new views of society, states,`that, previously to his commencing his discourse, the following questions were put to him" Would it be practicable to establish your system upon the admission, that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament contain a Revelation of the mind and will of God to man; that our first parents were created perfect creatures, but that they fell from their original condition, and that mankind are now in consequence of this disobedience in a lapsed and fallen state ?" In reply, Mr. Owen maintained the reverse of these propositions. "He did not believe the Old and New Testament to be the word of God and with respect to children, he did not believe that they were naturally depraved. Their depravity was produced by circumstances."

The Legislature of New-Jersey have incorporated the New-Jersey Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, and made a liberal provision for the education of children of this description residing within the limits of that State.

It is greatly lamented by many of the friends of religion in the Union, that the military of that country are destitute of any religious instruction, provided by the Government; and that their discipline contains no rules for the uniform assembling of the troops on the Sabbath for public worship. Their being called out at any time, or being permitted, by request, to attend it, is by special order from the commanding officer, and is esteemed an act of favour. It is feared that many persons, being taken out of the class of citizens and placed in that of soldiers, are thus gradually formed to an utter indifference to all religion.

About a year ago, the Society of Friends in North Carolina came to the determination of sending a large number of Coloured 2 I

Persons under its care to the Republic of Hayti and elsewhere, so soon as funds could be procured, and the consent of those persons be obtained. The whole number of Blacks under the care of the Society, it is believed, amounts to nearly one thousand.

Miss Frances Wright, a lady who has zealously devoted herself to a plan for the colonization of emancipated slaves in West Tennessee, has just received her first company of slaves from the heart of South Carolina. The following is an extract from the letter of an American Clergyman on the subject :-"The friends of humanity are increasing. On the 2d January, Robert Wilson left York District, S. C., with his entire family of Negroes, for the farm of Frances Wright, on the Mississippi River in West Tennessee. The family consists of seven in number-a mother and six children. This family was bequeathed to Mr. Wilson by a deceased relative, for the purpose of being brought up and emancipated as they became of age. This duty Mr. Wilson soon found to be impracticable, from the state of public sentiment and change of state law. Being himself opposed to slavery in principle and practice, under all circumstances, he regarded his own situation and that of the Negroes as equally hopeless. The expense of their passsge to Liberia or Hayti, he was unable to meet; and he was too far removed from the operation of benevolent societies, for the hand of charity to be extended for his assistance. While thus apparently shut up, he met with the proposals of Frances Wright. Without delay he commenced preparations for the removal of his Negroes, and within three weeks from the time of his first knowledge of her establishment he was prepared for undertaking a journey of from five to seven hundred miles."

SANDWICH ISLANDS.

The Blonde, commanded by Lord Byron, lately returned from the Sandwich Islands, whither she conveyed the bodies of the King and Queen of those islands, with theChiefs who had accompanied them to England. At a national council, the young brother of the late King was acknowledged as the rightful successor; and a deciled stand was taken by the very higher chiefs, unitedly, in favour of the cause of Christianity. They desired to secure to the young king a Christian education, and to all his chiefs and people the benefit of instruction. Several of them have offered themselves as candidates for

INDIA.

In consequence of a considerable deficiency of writers for the civil service in India, the clause of the act of parliament which excludes from that office all persons who have not regularly studied in Haileybury college, is to be suspended for three years. Mr. Wynn, who introduced the measure to parliament, stated that he did not make this motion from any distrust of the East-India college, which he thought had been productive of essential benefit. By another important legislative measure, persons of mixed European and native blood are made eligible to act as jurors. Indeed, the bill points out all "good and sufficient men" as eligible to fill that situation.

The Bishop of Calcutta has returned from his extensive episcopal visitation. During his short stay in Ceylon, he visited Galle, Colombo, Kandy, and Baddagama, held an ordination at St. Peter's Church, attended divine service in the Malabar and Cingalese languages at the churches of St. Thomas and Wolvendal, examined the seminary at Colombo, and administered the right of confirmation five times.

At the recent cession of Malacca to this country, among the ceremonies which took place on the occasion, was the admi

nistration of the oaths of allegiance which displayed a singular diversity of sects and nations. The chief of the Chinese settlers approached an altar with a living cock in his arms, and, having gone through a series of prayers, proceeded to cut its throat, and to make a libation with its blood, hoping that his own might, in like manner, be poured out should he ever be wanting in fidelity to his new sovereign. The leader of some Hindoos, who had been naturalized for many generations in Malacca, reverentially approaching the commissioner, swore by the veracity of the priest by the horse, the elephant, the arms, the accoutrements of the soldier, and by the merchandize of the trader, that he and his followers would be faithful; and imprecated the direst curses on the head of the mechanic and servile man who

should break the compact. The superior Malayan, being a Mohammedan, swore by" one God, and Mahomet his prophet," sealing his oath on his Koran. Next came various Christian denominations, who, by the simplicity of their modes of adjura

LIST OF NEW

THEOLOGY.

Babylon and Infidelity foredoomed of God; a Discourse on the Prophecies and the Apocalypse. By the Rev. E. Irving. 2 vols. 10s. 6d.

Sermons. By the Rev. J. G. Foyster, A. M. I vol. 8vo. 9s.

Memorials, inscribed to the Memory of Good and Faithful Servants. 12mo. 7s. 6d. The complete Works of Dr. J. Owen. 21 vols. 8vo.

Practical Sermons, chiefly designed for Family Reading. By the Rev. Thomas Blackley, A. M. 3 vols. 12mo. 16s. 6d.

The Book of Genesis considered and illustrated, in a Series of Historical Discourses preached in the Holy Trinity Church, Cheltenham. By the Rev. Francis Close, A. M. 8vo. 12s.

Essays, Religious, Moral, and Practical. By T. Hopkinson.

The whole Works of Bishop Reynolds, now first collected, in 6 vols. 8vo. 3. On Cruelty to Animals, a Sermon. By the Rev. Thos. Chalmers, D.D.

A Selection of Prayers for Children, and Young Persons. By C. Holmes.

The Doctrine of Eternal Reprobation disproved. By J. Hargreaves. 3s. Remarks on Higgins's Hora Sabaticæ. By H. Standish.

Discourses on a future Existence. the Rev. J. Sheppard, D.D.

By

In what respects is the Law a Schoolmaster to bring Men to Christ? the Hulsean Prize Dissertation. By A. T. Russell. Sermons, for the Use of Families. By the Hon. and Rev. G.T. Noel. 10s. 6d.

tion, furnished a remarkable contrast to the rites of paganism.

The advantages anticipated from declaring Singapore a free port, have been more than realised. In a country so remote and barbarous, inhabited by nations so different in language and manners, by tribes under the influence of ignorance and all sorts of vicious propensities, there has been so quick an apprehension of the benefits of free trade, under the protection of British law, that an unexampled increase has taken place in the exports and imports of that port, in the short period during which the new system has been in operation. In 1822 the commerce of the port had doubled, and amounted to 8,568,000 dollars. In 1823 it had increased to 13,268,000; and in 1824 to no less than 15,772,000 dollars. So great and salutary has been the stimulus which the institution of this free port has caused in the neighbouring states and islands that of 2,889 vessels which have entered the port, only 383 were British property, or commanded by British officers.

MISCELLANEOUS.

An Address to the Legislature on the immediate Abolition of Briefs. By a Clergyman. 8vo. Is.

Leisure Moments. By Barnard Trollope, Esq. fcap. 8vo. 5s. 6d. boards.

An Essay on Mind, and other Poems. 5s. Method of instructing the Deaf and Dumb. By J. R. Young. 3s. 6d. Molech; or, the Approach of the Deluge; a Sacred Drama By the Rev. W. Bassett. My Early Days. By W. Ferguson. 2s. Thoughts on the Abolition of Slavery. By the Rev. T. Chalmers, D.D.

Miriam, a Jewish Tale. 1 vol.

The Progress of Colonial Reform; being a brief View of the real Advance made since May 1823, in carrying into Effect the Recommendations of his Majesty, the Resolutions of Parliament, and the Prayer of the Nation with regard to Slavery; drawn up from the Papers printed for the House of Commons.

The Life of R. Raikes, and the History of Sunday Schools. By W.F.Lloyd. Is. 6d. The Life of the Rev. J. Braithwaite. By R. Dickenson. 6s.

Howell and Stewart's Catalogue of Oriental Literature.

Narrative of a Tour through Hawaii, or Owhyhee; with an Account of the Sandwich Islands. By the Rev. Mr. Ellis, Missionary.

A Digest of the Evidence taken before Select Committees of the two Houses of

Parliament, appointed to inquire into the State of Ireland, 1824, 1825. By the Rev. William Phelan, B.D., and the Rev. Mortimer O'Sullivan, A. M.2 vols. 8vo. 18s. Visit to the Falls of Niagara, in 1800. By J. Maude, royal 8vo. 17. 11s. 6d.

Sketches in Wales. By the Rev. G.J. Freeman. 8vo. 1. 1s.

The Baptist Family; translated from the French. By Charlotte Southwood. 18mo. 8d.

SCOTTISH MISSIONARY SO

CIETY.

THE intelligence contained in the last Report of this Society relates principally to three particulars; namely, the recent establishments of missions in the East and West Indies, and the unfavourable circumstances which have caused the Society greatly to abridge the sphere of its operations in Russia. The following are the chief notices under each of these heads.

India. The late Mr. Mitchell had established ten schools in the town and neighbourhood of Bancoot; but in consequence of the violence of the monsoon and the weakly state of his own health, followed by his death, the other missionaries, on their arrival, found them in a state little different from that of the generality of native schools, except that books of a Christian instead of a heathen tendency, had been introduced into them. The teachers themselves, as well as the children, required the strictest superintendance; and as it was very difficult to convey to them any thing like an accurate idea of the mutual system of instruction, the missionaries resolved to establish at Bancoot a central school, in which the whole plan might be exhibited, and in which teachers might be initiated in the principles and practice of the system. The missionaries have not yet been able to establish a separate school for females. Their chief difficulty has arisen from the want of a suitable teacher; for there is not a single female, in that part of the country, equal to the task of teaching her own child to read its vernacular language. They also anticipate no small difficulty in obtaining scholars; but, as similar difficulties have been overcome in other parts of India, the missionaries have resolved to make the attempt, and had already procured a piece of ground in a retired situation for a school-house. The number of schools connected with the station of Bancoot, was eleven, and contained 434 children. Two of the Society's missionaries had made a tour through the southern Concan, with the view of fixing on a place for a

second missionary station. Having fixed on Severndroog, Mr. Cooper and Mr. Stevenson proceeded to that place, and began to establish schools, and, by the last accounts, they had no fewer than twelve under their care, containing nearly 600 children. The children in these schools are chiefly Hindoos; the number of Mohammedans is very small.

Though the instruction of the rising generation has constituted the principal branch of the labours of the missionaries in India, yet when visiting the schools, they had many opportunities for giving away portions of the sacred volume to such persons as were able to read. Mr. Cooper had begun to preach in the Mahratta language. From the Bombay Bible Society, and the Bombay District Committee of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, the missionaries have received valuable donations of books in the Mahratta language, which have been of essential assistance to them in carrying on the schools.

West Indies.-The Society's mission to Jamaica was undertaken in consequence of the proposal of some proprietors to bear a considerable part of the expense. A missionary, Mr. Blyth, has been appointed to three estates, Hampden, Dundee, and Content, containing nearly one thousand slaves. On Hampden the slaves had, for a number of years past, met for prayer and religious conversation; but they said, they did not know whether they were in in the right way or not. The Directors

have been informed that many of the slaves in that quarter of the island had received some imperfect instruction in the principles of Christianity from a preacher who lived in that neighbourhood, a Man of Colour; others may have heard the Gospel from the lips of a missionary, or of some other friendly instructor; and these might communicate what little they knew to others of their countrymen; and that in this manner they account for that partial knowledge, and those impressions of religion, which were to be found among them. They hailed with delight the

arrival of Mr. Blyth among them, and listened to his instructions with the deepest attention. Many of those who appeared to be previously impressed with religion, had their impressions greatly increased through means of his instructions; while others, who had formerly been ignorant and careless, were now brought under serious concern about their souls. He has already baptized some, and married others. One woman had given proof of her sincerity, by separating from a man with whom she had lived many years, because he would not agree to be married to her. "One evening," says the missionary, "two couples came to ask for marriage. They are decent people, and have lately had their minds occupied about religion; for it is religion only that leads the Negroes to think of marriage." Besides preaching to the slaves, Mr. Blyth catechises both them and their children, and the progress which they make is stated to be very pleasing. The Report does not mention what opportunities are allowed by the managers of the estates for these most necessary instructions.

Encouraged by the prospects of this mission, the Directors are anxious to extend their operations; and they state that it will afford them much pleasure to receive applications from gentlemen connected with the West Indies, for missionaries to undertake the instruction of

their slaves.

Russia. In the last year's Report, the Committee presented a more favourable view of the state and prospects of the mission at Astrachan than they had been able to give for many years before. Previously to this, many of the Directors had begun to entertain strong doubts, as to the propriety of persevering in cultivating a field which appeared so barren and unpromising; but a temporary light, they state, burst across the darkness in which the followers of the false prophet had for so many ages been enveloped, and gave birth to the pleasing hope that " the Sun of Righteousness was about to arise upon them with healing in his wings." Bright, however, as the light appeared, it has proved only a transient gleam.

Last year the missionaries at Astrachan began to have public worship on the Sabbath, both in the Turkish and in the Persian languages, in the mission-house. At first several Mohammedans were present at all the services, exclusive of Armenians and individuals connected with the missionary establishment; but the novelty being over, both Turks and Persians

pearance.

Amidst the declension of his countrymen, Mohammed Ali, a young man who was baptized by the missionaries, has maintained his stedfasthess; but he was informed by the governor of Astrachan, agreeably to instructions received from General Yarmeloff, the commander in chief of the province, that, in consequence of his having become a Christian, he was expected to enter the Russian service. A short time after, the governor sent orders that Ali Beg should not be employed in discharging any duties laid upon him by the Scotch colony. On the same day, Mohammed Ali had to sign an obligation, that he would not go out of the city without the knowledge of the police; and he was kept in custody by the police until he found security for the due performance of it. In consequence of these proceedings, Mohammed Ali, by the advice of his friends, drew up a petition to the emperor, soliciting permission to remain at Astrachan, and to engage in making known the Gospel to his countrymen. This petition the missionaries transmitted to Prince Galitzin, with a request that he would present it to his imperial majesty; but this the prince judged it prudent to decline. These measures have a most important bearing on the interests of the mission; for what prospect is there of a Christian church being collected, or what hope is there of the spiritual improvement or safety of individual converts, if they no sooner become Christians than they may be required to leave the missionaries, and enter into the service of the empire? Combined with these unpropitious circumstances, an unfavourable change had taken place in Russia in regard to the Bible Society. Amongst the effects of this change, the Report before us states, that though it was intended that the missionaries at Astrachan should be employed in printing a new and corrected edition of Martyn's Persian New Testament; and though the types had been ordered, and had arrived in Petersburg; it has been since resolved not to proceed with the printing of it. It was not even deemed safe to print tracts without first submitting them to the censorship. Under all these circumstances, the Directors conceived it to be no longer their duty to maintain the mission at Astrachan, sup